Jaguars wide receiver group received halftime encouragement from sidelined Hurns

Mike Kaye, WTLV9:59 AM. EST November 21, 2017

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 19: Dede Westbrook #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs the ball in the first half against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 19, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)(Photo: Jason Miller, 2017 Getty Images)

Hurns had been present in the locker room and film room, despite his injury. While it's evident that the likes of Cole and Westbrook could cut into his playing time when he comes back, Hurns still maintained his role as a veteran leader.

The young wide receivers asked Hurns - via text messages - about what he saw during the first half. Receiving pointers from the fourth-year veteran was nothing new for the likes of Westbrook, Mickens and Cole.

"Since Day 1, he let us know that if we do something bad, he will call us out on it," Mickens said of Hurns.

"'That's not how you do it and this is how it should be done.' Some players - not in our locker room - take offense to that but our room as a receiver group, we all feed off each others' positivity and we all feed off each others' negative plays if we miss a block or run a route a certain way when it's supposed to be flattened or taken high. We learn from each other and we're getting better each and every day and each and every week."

With Hurns potentially out of the lineup for a few more weeks, the Jaguars will continue to rely on their cast of inexperienced wide receivers. Lee has served as a de facto top target for quarterback Blake Bortles.

In order for the passing game to expand past its "good enough" effort against the Browns, second and third options need to emerge at receiver. Westbrook and Cole seem poised for those jobs but Mickens and Pinkard should also receive more opportunities in the near future.

Hurns will seemingly be there to guide them as a mentor, even at the cost of a future dip in playing time.